INSECTS AS HUMAN FOOD: AN OVERVIEW

Résumé

Although insects and the products elaborated and/or eliminated by them are used as food source by three thousand traditional societies in over 120 countries, current attitudes of repugnance regarding the con­sumption of edible insects cause that a considerable amount of animal protein becomes unavailable to those individuals who suffer from pro­tein deficiencies. Considering the nutritional qualities that insects have, they should be considered as renewable resources available for sustainable exploitation aiming at reducing the problem of malnutrition and hunger in many parts of the world. Keywords: Entomophagy, food safety, renewable resources, culture, insects.